Verve Wedding Diaries #32: Pragnya Rao Will Make Sure Your Wedding Is Groovy

Presentation Pixie
Who: Pragnya Rao
From: Groovy Two Shoes

Trade the characteristic marigold-loving, fuchsia and bright gilded décor for elegant candles, quirky quotes and dull gold accents, and you have a Groovy Two Shoes event. Rao, who started the creative studio in 2011, has always maintained that it is not a big event company, but rather, a boutique agency that values finer details. “My clients come to me not for creating ‘stage’ design but for adding a personal touch to their weddings,” she says. Having started out as a company that offered styling, interiors, editorial photo shoots, content creation, website design and graphic design, it wasn’t a conscious decision to venture into the wedding industry. “My first client came to me because he loved the way we styled the parties. He said, ‘Forget it’s an Indian wedding. I want the groovy touch for my big day.’ That’s how I bagged my first wedding assignment!”

Intimacy, casual comfort and individuality are themes that run through events Rao has been designing lately. She gives me an example of a groom who wanted to give his bride an extra-special surprise, which led the team to get the couple’s closest friends and family members to stand across an entire walkway with sparklers in their hands. The path was laid with a canvas which had the lyrics of the couple’s favourite song on it. And as the couple walked on the specially-made canvas carpet, the song played in the background. “It was a beautiful moment,” she says. “The look on the bride’s face was worth all the madness and co-ordination to get the moment right!”

Trend Talk

Personalisation: “Despite the ‘big fat Indian wedding’ phenomenon, a lot of folks now want to add personal touches; details that their guests will remember long after the day.”

Laidback chic: “I think weddings are getting smaller, with most clients looking to stick to events that are fun yet elegant.”

Themes: “I love picking up accessories and locally crafted pieces on my travels, which eventually become a starting point for a themed party.”